


Bedtime

by Wallwalker



Series: Our Haven [2]
Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Canon Disabled Character, Common Cold, F/M, Fluff, pre-game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-06
Updated: 2012-12-06
Packaged: 2017-11-20 10:20:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/584308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wallwalker/pseuds/Wallwalker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's nothing like a warm bed on a cold night, especially when someone's waiting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bedtime

Tifa slipped into the apartment well after closing time, with a chill that had cut right through her threadbare winter coat and settled in her bones. She hadn't expected the cleanup from the night's festivities to take such a long time; even with Wedge and Jessie helping as much as they could, it had taken hours to get things back to normal, or close enough that she felt confident that she'd be able to finish up before opening.

She hadn't wanted to stay any later, and she was sure that Wedge and Jessie felt the same way. Biggs had just started to come down with the same bug that Barret was recovering from, and all three of them were going to need rest if they were going to avoid wearing themselves out. She'd hoped that she would be able to avoid it, but she could already feel the ache in her muscles that probably meant it was starting; thank goodness she only had one more day before she could close down for a while. She thought she could last that long, and then she could spend the rest of the time recovering.

Shivering, she rubbed her arms, trying to take the edge off of the cold now that she was indoors. She'd warm up quickly enough, once she went to bed. First, though, she would check on Marlene. She slipped out of her boots and into a pair of slippers - she never went around her apartment barefoot, too many things that she could step on - and quietly crept to the little room that they'd made into the best little girl's bedroom that they'd been able to manage.

Marlene, at least, was sleeping peacefully. Tifa could hear the sound of her breathing, untroubled by the sickness that Tifa and Barret had been doing their best to keep her from catching. She would probably come down with it sooner or later, but she'd rather it be later, when they would both be healthy and strong enough to take proper care of her.

Tifa smiled, but her smile quickly faded as she turned away, muffling her cough with her arm. She needed warmth. A hot shower would help, but even once she turned the heater on, it would be hours before there would be enough hot water for a proper shower - and she could see from a quick glance that the heater switch was already on, which meant she wasn't the only one with the idea, and would probably have to share. She'd have to settle for a warm bed, for now.

She carefully took off her coat before she crept into the bedroom, nothing warmer than a long-sleeved shirt and pants; it was too cold this time of year to wear anything less confining. Barret was a notoriously light sleeper; she would need to be careful, if she was going to keep from waking him. 

There wasn't much room in their bedroom for anything besides their bed. There had been more, when Tifa had lived there alone, but her old bed had barely been big enough for her, and wouldn't have been enough for Barret even by himself. She could hear him, snoring lightly under the covers; he had been home for some time, now. Tifa had insisted that he take Marlene to rest, and he'd agreed; she'd known from their many arguments before that if she'd insisted that _he_ go and rest, he would have stubbornly refused and argued until she'd relented, no matter how bad he had actually felt.

She moved quietly, expecting to crawl into bed and make room as best she could. But apparently, she hadn't moved quietly enough for that, and jumped - only slightly - as she felt his hand close around her cold wrist. "'ey," she heard him say, voice slurred slightly.

"Hey." She smiled as she sat down next to him, saw his eyes open and look up at her.

"Your hand's cold," he said quietly. "You all done? Was it bad?"

"It could've been worse. I had some help."

"Mmh." Barret had known her long enough to know exactly what she'd meant. He pulled the covers over, held them over his head. "C'mon," he said. "Let's get you warmed up."

"Sounds good to me." She smiled as she crawled into bed with him, resting her head on his muscular arm, and snuggled in close to his chest as he pulled the blankets over them both. "Mm, that's warm."

"An' you're shiverin'," he said. "You ain't gettin' sick, are you?"

"Mmmmm, I'm not sure," she said. "Maybe. But after tomorrow I can get some rest."

"Hmmh," he said, and she could hear him chuckle, felt the rumble deep in his chest. "You'd better lemme take care of you th' way you took care of me the past few days, then. You'll be laid up longer if ya keep workin' so -"

"Working so hard, I know," she said, and sighed quietly enough that she hoped he wouldn't notice. "It'll be all right, Barret. Trust me."

"I know," he said, and she felt his hand stroking her back as best he could. "I'll make sure of it."

She smiled in spite of herself, already feeling better despite the beginnings of a sore throat, and closed her eyes. She'd be asleep before too long, as long as Barret didn't start snoring again... and even that seemed like a small price for all of this warmth.


End file.
